Skillet Pasta and Sausage

Name: Skillet Pasta and Sausage
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 lb fully cooked smoked sausage (like kielbasa or andouille); 1 cup yellow onion, diced; 2 clove fresh garlic cloves, minced; 2 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes with juice; 8 oz dry penne pasta; 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.5 cup half and half or heavy cream; 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded; 0.33 cup green onions, thinly sliced

Smoky Sausage Skillet Pasta with Melted Jack Cheese

Sliced smoked sausage gets golden alongside sweet onions before pasta cooks right in the same pan with broth and tomatoes. The result is a creamy, satisfying dinner that dirties just one skillet and delivers maximum comfort with minimal cleanup.

AmericanDinnerComfort FoodQuick MealsKid FriendlyOne PotPork

Prep10 min

Cook25 min

Total35 min

Servings4

Difficultyeasy

Ingredients

1 tbspolive oil
1 lbfully cooked smoked sausage (like kielbasa or andouille)
1 cupyellow onion, diced
2 clovefresh garlic cloves, minced
2 cuplow-sodium chicken broth
14½ ozcanned diced tomatoes with juice
8 ozdry penne pasta
½ tspcrushed red pepper flakes
½ tspkosher salt
½ tspfreshly ground black pepper
½ cuphalf and half or heavy cream
1 cupMonterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded
⅓ cupgreen onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

Slice the sausage into rounds about 1/4-inch thick, then heat the olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and diced onions, stirring occasionally until the sausage develops golden-brown edges and the onions soften — this takes about 4-5 minutes and builds the flavor foundation for the whole dish.
⏱ 5 min
Stir in the minced garlic and let it cook for 1-2 minutes until you can smell its aroma wafting up from the pan. Don't let it brown or it'll turn bitter.
⏱ 2 min
Pour in the chicken broth and canned tomatoes with their juices, then add the dry penne, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Bring everything to a rolling boil, then cover the skillet and dial the heat down to medium-low. Let it simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.
⏱ 15 min
Uncover and stir in the cream, letting it simmer for another 1-2 minutes until heated through and the sauce looks cohesive. The pasta should be saucy but not soupy.
⏱ 2 min
Take the skillet off the heat and immediately sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack over the pasta. Stir gently until the cheese melts into silky strands throughout the dish. Scatter the sliced green onions on top and serve straight from the skillet.